Enrollment
971
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Tustin, CA
Pioneer Middle
Federal NCES profile for Pioneer Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 064015008250
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 3
📋 Attendance 72
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pioneer Middle earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #3 of 3
- middle schools in Tustin · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 30.3:1
- large classes for California
- 22.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Pioneer Middle has class sizes larger than 96% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pioneer Middle ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in Tustin, CA.
School address
District: Tustin Unified · California
NCES ID 064015008250 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
30.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+41% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
22.5%
vs 55.5% California avg
-59% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Pioneer Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Pioneer Middle
Pioneer Middle is a large middle school in Tustin, California, enrolling 971 students.
Class loads run heavy: 30.3:1 is larger than about 96% of California schools and 41% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 22.5% free-meal eligibility runs 59% below the California average.
Enrollment of 971 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 828 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #363.
Its student body is led by Asian (39%) and Hispanic or Latino (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 486 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
11.2% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Tustin's middle schools, it stands alongside Columbus Tustin Middle (583 students): Pioneer Middle is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (30.3:1 vs 22.4:1).
Tustin Unified also operates Arnold O. Beckman High (2,776 students) and Foothill High (2,126 students) alongside Pioneer Middle.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Pioneer Middle compares
Pioneer Middle on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 30.3:1 | ▲ 41% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.5% | ▼ 59% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 971 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
30.3:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
971
Bigger than 91% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
22.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 59% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
30.3:1
students per teacher
- 41% above state mean
Top 96% in California - lower ratio than 4% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
11.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$13,372
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 486 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
16
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Asian 38.8%
Hispanic or Latino 28.0%
White 19.3%
Two or More 11.3%
African American 2.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Asian at 38.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.1, Pioneer Middle is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Tustin Unified, which includes Pioneer Middle.
$13,372
Per student
-19%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 53.9%
State 38.0%
Federal 8.1%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Pioneer Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arnold O. Beckman High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Foothill High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Tustin High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Orchard Hills | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sycamore Magnet Academy | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pioneer Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,776
- Students per teacher
- 26.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 2,126
- Students per teacher
- 25.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,627
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,373
- Students per teacher
- 29.2:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,085
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
Similar middle schools in Tustin
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~971 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~30.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Pioneer Middle's federal record.
- Compare Pioneer Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Tustin Unified's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Pioneer Middle
How many students attend Pioneer Middle?
Pioneer Middle has 971 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Tustin, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pioneer Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Pioneer Middle is 30.3:1, which is 41% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 93% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Pioneer Middle?
22.5% of students at Pioneer Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pioneer Middle?
The largest demographic group at Pioneer Middle is Asian at 38.8% of enrollment, in Tustin, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pioneer Middle?
Pioneer Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Pioneer Middle rank among middle schools in Tustin?
By Resource Investment Index, Pioneer Middle ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in Tustin, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Tustin on the city page.
Is Pioneer Middle a good school?
Pioneer Middle earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Tustin Unified?
Besides Pioneer Middle, Tustin Unified also operates Arnold O. Beckman High (2,776 students), Foothill High (2,126 students), and Tustin High (1,627 students). See the Tustin Unified district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.